Tips for Selling your Home

Are you thinking of putting your home on the market? Or are you about to approach an agent to value your home? Here is our top 10 check list to help you prepare your home for sale.

1. Know your home

Whether you are present during a viewing or your real estate agent is showing your home for you, there are some key questions which are worth considering in advance. Some of the most frequently asked questions include:

- Why are you selling?- What is included in the sale?- How long have you lived there?- What are your neighbours like?- Which is your favourite room in your home?- Are you happy to talk to any potential buyers?

2. Legal documents

Have you renovated your home over the years? Or had planning permission approved for an extension? Make sure you have all the legal documents available so you are prepared when a Notary asks you for them later.

3. Go on holiday

Take a break, go away for a short holiday or to a friend’s home. Then when you return, you will view your home with a fresh eye. By detaching yourself from your home, you can see your home objectively. Consider your home as a show room, somewhere for your buyer to enjoy their life.

4. De-personalise

Homes filled with personal items will feel they belong to the owner, making it hard for buyers to image your home as their home. Photos are especially powerful in this respect. Start your moving process and make your home more appealing by packing some of your wedding photos or any graduation certificates in a box.

5. DIY

There are often small household jobs that we put off – the odd blown light bulb can be left for a few weeks or more when we’re busy. Take an objective walk around your home and make a list of things you could easily fix. Broken tiles, dripping taps or scuffed walls can be addressed to give the right impression toyour home.

6. Redecorating

As you assess your home, you could find there’s one room in particular which is in need of redecorating. A room which is at odds with the rest of your home that sticks out and may put people off. Often, a lick of paint will give a room a much-needed lift.

7. Cleaning

Once your home is on the market, you may need to be ready for a viewing at a moment’s notice. Carpets and sofas will usually benefit from a deep clean as well as ovens and fridges.

8. Kerb Appeal

It is often quoted that someone viewing your home will make their mind up in a matter of moments - so make them count. Once you've surveyed the inside of your home for things to mend or tidy, head outside and walk towards your home as you would if you were on a viewing. Their journey around your home starts from the second they see it, so ensure your borders have been edged, your path is weeded and you’ve packed anyway children’s toys left over from the day.

9. External repairs

A broken fence can be quite off-putting. Remember to take a critical look at the garage too - pressure washing or painting the door could be worth the time and effort.

10. Declutter

Knickknacks can obscure the space, giving it a small cluttered feel. Instead, neutral space acts as a blank canvas for potential buyers’ imagination.

Ornamental items aside, preparing for a move is the perfect time to throw away things you no longer use. The golden rule is if you haven’t used something in the past year, you aren’t likely to miss it. Clothes are a good example - they can take up vast amounts of cupboard space. Take old items to the charity shop to create space to save yourself some time when it comes to packing up your home.

Should you wish for us to come over and value your home and ensure that it is ready to be put on the market, please feel free to contact us and one of our experienced real estate agents will organize a viewing and will surely give you the right advice to help you sell your home in the least possible time.